PJO finding myself at camp half blood
by Sparring Woodpecker
Summary: Steph goes to camp half blood and meets Alex. Not really set anywhen in particular. GirlXgirl content.


**A/N: I had a dream a couple of years ago and this was the product of that dream, so there's quite a bit based on who I am, e.g. I live in the UK. Written before I got into fanfic and may not be entirely factually correct, as always little of this is mine, my own original characters but everything else near enough belongs to Rick Riordan.**

Steph stepped off the plane to be greeted by a twenty year old guy who hobbled along on crutches. He briefly shook her hand before making his way to the jeep he had arrived in. He opened the back door and slid in leaving room for Steph to sit beside him. They didn't talk the whole way to their destination, even the driver who was obscured from Steph's view.

The jeep made its way to Long Island, the situation of their destination. Steph saw a big white house and strawberry fields in the distance. As they pulled up outside the house she could see a sign written in ancient Greek lettering, below it in English the sign read "Long Island strawberries sold her" Steph knew it was impossible but she could read the ancient Greek "Camp half blood". Well the old part of her thought it was impossible, the part of the girl that had spent her whole ordinary life in England, nothing out of the ordinary ever happening. She lived with her Mum and went to the local school.

However when she reached 15 it all got a bit weird. Some guy on the street had walked up to her and said he could smell her blood and that if he could the monsters could. She had kept walking, there were enough weirdo's around that she knew that was the best thing to do.

But then he had turned up at her school, Mr Pierce, the schools new permanent supply teacher. Steph kept getting out of class as fast as she could until he gave her a ten minute detention at break for "looking bored in class". When they were alone his voice had become urgent and he had said "Look kid, this is going to seem crazy, believe me I know, I've been through this too. You live with your Mum right?" Steph nodded "And you don't know where or even who your father is" Steph thought of how to respond but he kept going "It wasn't a question. I know. I have all the answers you've ever wanted to know."

So Steph did ask. "Who is he?"

"Ah, okay, so not the exact answers but I can help you. Steph, you're a demi-god."

"A what?!"

"A demi-god. Half human, half Greek god. There's a camp for people like you. People like me, us. In America, Long Island. They can help you, because soon the monsters will be coming."

"You're crazy." Steph had replied and attempted to leave the classroom but he said something else.

"I've called your Mum. She'll be here anytime soon, she knows, deep down I'm right. You have to go. Saturday, I've already organised it.2

Once he had said this to her Mum her Mum had said "He's right, I think. You have to go. I know at the moment the truth, you are a demi-god but he, he put a spell on me. To forget, so you could live an ordinary life, it would lift for me to tell you this but then come again, until I was ready as a person to except what, who you are." After her Mum had said this she had gone back to her normal self and sent Steph on her way believing she had won a scholarship to a camp for the gifted and talented in America.

So there Steph was. She grabbed her bag; it was fairly small as she was only going to be there for the summer. She entered the white house and met a man in a Hawaiian t-shirt who introduced himself as Dionysus.

"What like the Greek god?"

"Like the Greek god. I am the Greek god!" Dionysus fumed.

"That's cool sir. You're the god of wine, that's cool sir, very cool. I heard you could produce wine from thin air." Steph scrambled trying to appease the god, who smirked proudly.

"Yes. Anyway Beth McNugget, Alexander Dobson will be showing you around. Ah here she comes." Dionysus said getting both the girls names wrong. A girl walked up the steps to the outside porch; she wore a tight short-sleeved red t-shirt that showed her figure, a sheathed sword swung from her belt. She had chestnut brown hair, flowing loose down her back and striking blue eyes.

"Hey." Her voice was soft and delightful but at the same time Steph knew it could be very threatening. "I'm Alex Davidson, daughter of Aphrodite." She held her hand out; Steph accepted it as she said

"Hey. So that's, er, goddess of love, right?" Alex nodded still gently shaking Steph's hand. "I'm Steph McDonald. If you don't mind me saying, you don't look like you care much about your appearance." This was true, she wore no make-up and sweat patches were visible on her t-shirt.

"No. I believe in inner beauty, not to mention that your parent shouldn't define who you are." They finally dropped hands and said goodbye to Dionysus, Alex lead the way. They reached the top of a big hill and Alex pointed out everything.

"So the big question is who's the parent? Mother or Father?" Alex asked sitting down on the warm grass.

"Father."

"Who's the Daddy? Well some names that could be, Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Apollo, Hermes, Ares, to name a few. It shouldn't take too long for someone to claim you, but we will probably test you first."

"What kind of tests?" Steph asked nervously.

"Skill with weapons, making stuff, music etc, how ADHD and dyslexic you are, you tend to be worse if you're parents powerful." Alex replied.

"Well, I'm not ADHD or dyslexic, I've had a test."

"Hmmmm." Alex uttered thoughtfully.

"What?" Steph demanded to know.

"It's just, well; all demi-gods have one of those or both, to a certain degree. To not have either one is almost unheard of."

"Almost." Steph pointed out.

"Yeah, almost. But the ones that don't, well they've all been sons or daughters of Athena."

"So it's, kinda impossible?" Steph asked awkwardly.

"I'll have to do some research. I might get Jack to report back to you."

"Why not you?" Steph queried a slight frown on her face.

"I definitely have strong feeling about you, I just haven't decided if they're positive or negative yet. I would hate to have to talk to you again if they're negative."

"Well you let me know when you work it out."

"You'll be the first." Alex said in a voice so quiet Steph could barely hear it, like a sigh of wind. Alex stood up and started walking back towards camp, to the cabins. Steph quickly followed.

"You'll be in cabin eleven. Hermes cabin, until someone claims you. Jack is camp leader for Hermes; he'll explain everything to you." Alex walked in to the cabin and introduced Jack who assigned Steph one of the mattresses on the floor.

"You'll get a permanent bed if you're one of the Hermes lot." Jack explained. Alex said a brief goodbye and strode out, Steph watching her every move, the shake of her head to move hair out of her face, the way her hair whipped her face as she sharply turned out of the cabin.

"Close your mouth, you look like an idiot." Jack advised. Steph quickly did so before saying

"Is she always like that?"

"Nah. It's the Aphrodite effect, wears of after a couple of hours. Alex has the strongest affect on people."

"No. I didn't mean that. I meant she's so calm and friendly one minute, then brisk and abrupt the next." Steph explained.

"Only to people she can't decide if she likes. I think it's a kinda test, but no one knows how to pass it. You either do or you don't."

"Well she did say she had some kind of strong feelings for me."

"Oh, interesting. I might have to put my feelers out to get her take on this." Jack sounded like he should be a son of Aphrodite. "You'll either be best buds or mortal enemies. Let's just hope you don't have the same parent." Jack continued excitedly.

"Impossible. I'm looking for a Daddy."

"She's very quiet. Just sits there reading and when she does talk it's about that new girl." One of Aphrodite's girls told Jack.

"Not just because you ask her about Steph?"

"Oh no. Even when nobody asks her a question she'll be muttering on about Steph's parent and Steph's features and trying to link them to a god." An Aphrodite boy called Andy replied.

"Interesting. I think they need to see each other again soon." Jack said.

"To speed up the deciding time." Angelica, another Hermes child said.

"11:30 tonight in the girls' bathrooms. We can get Alex there if you can get Steph." Andy said.

"Sure."

After Steph had had dinner with the Hermes cabin, during which she noted Alex was missing, she returned to the cabin. It was still light out so Jack took her to the archery field. Steph tried her hardest and on the majority of shots hit the edge of the target but scored no points. She was no daughter of Apollo. They continued alternating between shooting and resting their fingers for a couple of hours until it started to get dark at ten o'clock. Steph got her wash kit from cabin eleven and turned to go to the bathroom when Jack came up.

"Hey. Sorry, forgot to mention each cabin has a timeslot for the bathroom, ours isn't until 11:30. How about you go to the camp store and get kitted out? It's by the canteen." Steph thanked him and left.

When she returned at a quarter past eleven she had a pile of orange camp t-shirts, a basic celestial bronze sword that was slightly too big for her and a wooden shield that didn't look like it could withstand a decent fight. She also wore close fitting armour made of hard leather and a helmet. She placed all the items neatly away in her bag at the foot of the mattress she had been assigned. She also attached a newly acquired padlock to the bag, a standard item given to everyone due to the light fingers of the Hermes children.

"Hey." Jack said "Camp doesn't officially start until two days time. So tomorrow, if you'd like me to, I'll help you find a better sword and shield and any other weapons you might want."

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll meet you in the courtyard ten minutes after breakfast." Steph said checking her watch. It was 11:27 so she picked up her wash kit and left so she would have time to find the bathroom. She found it odd that none of the others had left but reminded herself that they were either happy enough being dirty and smelly or they would come down later in the timeslot.

She finally found the bathroom and stripped off in one of the shower cubicles. After a quick wash she went to the sink to brush her teeth. She was dressed in baggy trousers and an old, too-large t-shirt. Another of the shower cubicles unlocked as Steph finished doing her teeth. Steph blushed slightly as she remembered that she had been singing in the shower, when the other girl must have come in. Steph glanced in thee mirror to see who it was. Her mouth dropped and her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, it was Alex.

"What are you doing here?" Steph stammered.

"Some idiot flooded the Aphrodite bathrooms, besides I prefer the unlipstick covered mirrors in here."

"But it's Hermes timeslot." Steph objected.

"Timeslot? There aren't any timeslots." Alex said in a puzzled voice. They boy looked quizzically at each other. "Jack! That son of a trickster! His idea of a prank I suppose, my, his standards are slipping, nice singing by the way." Alex smiled; it was a beautiful, genuine smile.

"You really think so?" Steph said.

"Yeah. Which one? I mean yeah beautiful voice and yes it was Jack." Alex said confused.

"Erm, right. Er, why, why would Jack…?" Steph petered off.

"He's trying to force me to make a choice about you; no doubt some of my siblings are in on it to." Alex looked Steph directly in the eye. There was no other place for Steph to look. She reached out a hand and placed it on Alex's shoulder.

"No rush, yeah. I don't mind waiting for your decision. But just for the record I don't think I can trust Jack entirely now."

"That's probably wise." Steph found that she was now able to make her mouth close; she moved her hand off Alex's shoulder.

"For the record, I do trust you. I don't know why, but I do." Steph had a slight smile on her face as she picked up her wash kit and left. Cabin eleven were very intrigued as to why she was smiling but no one talked to her as she got into bed and fell fast asleep, still a bit jetlagged form the flight that morning.

The next day after breakfast Steph met Jack in the courtyard. He led her to an old storeroom full of dust with little light. It was also full of unwanted weapons, some looked broken, and some looked old and some looked intriguingly new.

"Take your pick!" Jack exclaimed making a grand sweeping gesture around the room. Steph entered and looked around taking it all in. She picked a dagger off a shelf; it had been right at the back with only the handle showing. It looked reasonably knew and weighted well in her hand. She clasped the handle and swung it about carefully. She then found a leg strap that the blade slid into.

Next she set about looking for a sword. She tried a variety of swords, making her way steadily through the room. They all just didn't seem to suit her. She picked up a hilt on the floor, it was broken, just the hand grip area, however there was a switch at the end which Steph flicked out of curiosity. A sword shot out, a hand and a half hilt and a lovely celestial bronze blade. It weighed brilliantly, nice balance and good grip. Steph flicked the switch back and thee blade retracted, it was a mystery to Steph how they blade managed to fit into the hilt. Jack came back in with a watch; Steph hadn't even noticed he'd gone.

"Put this on your left arm and carefully press the buttons on either side simultaneously."

Steph did so, a shield exploded from the watch. The weight of it almost caught her off guard, Steph barely kept it up, even tough it wasn't heavy. She pressed the button on the back of the shield and it retreated back into the watch once more, which, surprisingly, accurately told the time.

"Thanks, it's amazing." Steph gratefully said to Jack.

"No probs. Anything else you need, just shout. I'm sure I can sort something out, if you know what I mean." Jack winked as he left.

Just then Alex passed by outside, Steph followed her at a distance, up the big hill they had sat on yesterday. She watched Alex lie on the on the ground from behind a couple of bushes. Steph knew her mouth was agape but she couldn't help it, she wasn't even sure why she had followed Alex up here, but Steph just couldn't leave, could only stare, mouth wide, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

Then she heard a sob from Alex, who was mouthing unknown words furiously, another sob, more. Steph didn't know what to do, how could she comfort Alex without revealing she had been spying on her, but she couldn't leave her and she couldn't just sit there. Steph decided to double back and walk up the hill ass if for the first time. Alex looked away wiping her eyes.

"It's ok you know." Steph said soothingly.

"What's ok?"

"To cry. Everyone does, sometimes stuff gets people down an' you gotta let it out or it'll just get worse." Steph replied in an understanding tone.

"I'm, I'm not. Ok, maybe I am, just don't tell." Alex admitted.

"I would never tell." Alex sobbed again as Steph sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a while, the only human noises where Alex's sobs and the far off noise of camp.

"I expect you want to know why I'm upset."

"No. I expect nothing of you. I just thought you needed some company."

"Love." Alex said shortly.

"Excuse me?"

"Love. You'd expect it would be easy for me, being the daughter of the goddess of love and all. Gods I'm pathetic."

"You're not pathetic. Love's easy for no one. Love is not the problem, people are." Steph comforted.

"A saying worthy of Athena, you really have quite a few links." Alex paused for thought. "I was reading last night, and I came across some strange old stories, about the gods. They displayed all the features of one god but were the wrong sex. Like there was a strong woman who could conjure weapon from thin air and had glowing red eyes. Like Ares only a girl. There are also similar cases with Hermes, Apollo and Persephone.

Steph's eyes lit up with understanding. "So why not Athena?"

"Exactly."

"But can they have kids in that form. I mean wouldn't that make Athena a lesbian?" Steph said nervously, suddenly aware that the gods can hear all.

"No, not necessarily. As gods they are the ultimate beings and can change form at will. Once in that form they will think the thoughts of that form. So if Athena was a man walking down the street and she found your mum attractive and er, we can see where that leads. If Athena purposefully became a man to ensnare your mother, I'm not sure really. I'd go with the first option." Alex mused.

"I agree. So when will I be claimed? I mean, won't Athena, assuming Athena is my fa-, mo-, parent, be a bit ashamed?" Nervousness crept into Steph's voice.

"Most demi-gods are claimed the day they arrive or after they I've done something heroic or worthy of their godly parent. However everyone is claimed within three weeks."

"Why three weeks, couldn't they just not claim you?"

"They have to claim all demi-god children within three weeks of coming to camp and help searches find their children all over the world. It's Olympian law, as decreed by Zeus after he had to thank someone for their service and this was their term." Alex patiently explained. Her eyes were still a little red but she no longer seemed upset.

"So, what's the deal with demi-gods of the same parent? Can they like get together, do you like fancy any of the Aphrodite boys?" Steph asked playfully.

"NO!" Alex exclaimed in disgust. "They are your brothers and sisters, its wrong."

"What about other cabins. Wouldn't they be your cousins, nephews, nieces, aunts and uncles etc."

"Oh, they're fair game. It's not like the gods are a family as we would view as humans." Alex replied cheerfully.

"So is it one of the guys from another cabin you love?" Steph asked cautiously.

"It is someone from one of the other cabins I fancy."

"So what's the big deal?"

"They won't want me." Alex and Steph sat in silence for a while. "It's almost lunch time, we should go back. As it's not an official camp day we're all eating lunch at the same time but we can go and sit in the fields. Most of camp does."

So Alex and Steph walked down to the canteen, collected some food and sacrificed it before going to sit in the field near the lake. Alex informed Steph that the girls in the water were dryads.

"Apart from those two." Steph pointed to a mean looking guy dunking a young girl who clearly had trouble swimming. Steph got up and made her way to the waters edge before stripping to bra and pants. She knew she shouldn't go in after eating but there was no way she was going to let that bully get away with it. Steph dived in and swam up to the boy who was holding the girls head forcefully underwater as she thrashed about desperate for air. Steph grabbed the girl and pulled her to the surface before roughly pushing her in the direction of the shore.

The guy smiled nastily at the thought of violence as he pulled his fist back aiming at Steph's face. She ducked below water and the punch sailed harmlessly above. She grabbed the knife attached to her leg and quickly cut his arm. It was a superficial wound but with tall the water around it must have stung a lot.

Steph used this to her advantage and raced to shore. As the guy, who she presumed was from Ares, followed her an owl sign glowed above her head but Steph was too busy circling the Ares guy to notice. He lunged at her and she sidestepped, slapping him with the flat of her blade as he careered past. He tripped and fell at Chiron's feet. Chiron was a centaur and loomed over the boy.

"Jake! Don't ever EVER let me see you drowning little girls or trying to kill newbies AGAIN!" He turned to Steph, a puzzled expression on his face.

Alex and Steph then spent a good hour up at the big house talking over their theory about Athena, who had undeniably just claimed Steph. Chiron also reminded them that Athena's children were born from her mind.

When they were finally allowed to go they trudged back up the big hill and sat. "That was really brave." Alex complimented quietly after a while.

"There is a fine line between brave and foolish. Personally I thought I was foolish and if I'd been beaten to a pulp everyone else would have called it foolish too. But because I am still in one piece I was brave."

"No need to go all daughter of Athena on me now tat you've been claimed." Alex joked.

"I need to enjoy it while I can. Now I've got to move into the Athenian cabin and I know no one."

"But you will soon." Alex said.

"Every stranger is a potential friend." They chorused and laughed at each other.

"Besides they have an awesome library and now I have an excuse to visit it." Alex infused.

"What, me? Charmed. I suppose this means you've made your mind up?"

"Yes I believe I most definitely have." Alex replied dreamily.

"And?" Steph prompted. Alex leaned in and whispered in Steph's ear, almost to quiet to hear.

"My feelings for you have grown stronger and they're most definitely positive."

"They sat in silence, Steph felt Alex move back and still they sat. Then Steph turned to face Alex. Her face was still close, and it pleasantly startled her. Alex's eyes drifted up towards her, away from Steph's neck. A shiver coursed through Steph's body. Alex bit her lower lip as their eyes locked, sparkling blue on luminous brown. Alex's eyes sparkled, caught in the light of the sun. Steph knew she should move back but her body wouldn't let her. Her body wanted to go forward, so as this internal battle of wills unknown was fought Steph stayed still, unable to tear her eyes away from Alex's, drinking in every detail of those eyes.

The battle won, Steph's body took charge, just at the same time as Alex's seemed to do the same. They met. Soft lips massaged Steph's own as Steph cautiously raised her hands to Alex's contoured back, up to the nape of her neck. Alex's hands clasped Steph's head, almost painfully.

They broke apart, each looking ashamed and guilty, but Steph's body was still in charge. She leant over and placed a hand gently on one of Alex's. Alex flinched at the touch but soon relaxed. After a while Steph began edging closer and closer until they were sat side by side. Alex leant her head on Steph's shoulder; Steph slowly started stroking her hair. They sat like that for twenty five minutes until Steph got a dead leg. She shifted uncomfortably and Alex looked with a desperate concern at Steph, like Steph would just leave. When Steph didn't she lay down, Steph's head resting on her chest. Steph looked up at Alex looking down at her. She leant up on one elbow and sealed her lips on Alex's. They stayed like that, mouths open, for ages.

"Jack said the Aphrodite effect would wear off after a couple of hours, so what have you done with me?" Steph said half jokingly, half contentedly.

"Love, my girl, love. Love can throw two random people together and keep them together. Love can start wars and end them. Love can break you and love can heal you." Alex replied knowledgeably.

"Do you believe in love at first sight, or do you think that's just shallow lust?"

"I do believe in love at first sight. I didn't, until now. I knew I had incredibly strong feelings for you from the moment I clamped eyes on you. It just took me a while to figure out it was love."

"Good, because I do, case as proven by you."

They lay there embraced together until dinner. They walked in holding hands to a few a few querying looks from the other campers, especially the children of Aphrodite. Their hands separated and Alex pointed out to Steph where the Athenian table was. Before going their separate ways Alex whispered "Don't tell anyone yet." Steph nodded and walked off.

A girl of about seventeen or eighteen with raven black hair and grey eyes rose to greet Steph. "Hi. I'm Claire, camp leader for Athena, you must be Steph." Steph nodded and seated herself beside Claire. After offering food to the gods, Steph offered hers to Athena and Aphrodite, they ate.

When they finished Steph headed outside and went to sit by the lake, she was still visible from the dining pavilion but it was peaceful. She contemplated the afternoon. Suddenly she was aware of a presence sitting beside her. She turned to look and saw beside her the most beautiful being in the world with multicolour eyes and flawless makeup.

"Aphrodite?" Steph asked wondering why she was here.

"Yes."

"Why are you here?" Steph asked cautiously looking back towards the pavilion. A tinkling laugh like the babble of a brook came from Aphrodite.

"Don't worry, they can't see me. I'm here to talk to you. About Alex." Steph turned her head away, ashamed. "No, no, no. Be proud of what you believe. Out of all my demi-god children I am most proud of Alex. Most of them are shallow, looking for good looks, ensnaring with their good looks, make-up, hair." Steph looked sceptically at Aphrodite. "Oh, I know that's how people view me but I fully understand love at the same time. True, lasting love. Alex is getting there. Although she is still ashamed. You need to help her."

"How?" Steph asked.

"Just be there for her, talk to her. She knows what she needs. And here she comes now." Before Steph could blink Aphrodite was gone.

"What's up with you? You look like a Pegasus just smashed you in the face with its wing!" Alex joked as she sat down next to Steph.

"I just saw your Mum." Steph stated picking at the grass at her feet.

"What did she want?" Asked Alex guardedly.

"I'm not totally sure." They sat in quiet contemplation for a while. "Do you want to go for a walk?" Steph asked standing up and offering her harm. Alex smiled weakly and took it. The pair set off around the lake. Alex pulled them to a stop at the far side of the lake behind some large boulders.

"Listen Steph, I don't think I can do this. I'm so, so sorry but it's not right. As a child of Aphrodite I can't, I can't love you." Alex said sadly, with a hint of regret. "We can still be friends."

"Yeah, of course we can. But just remember two things. Firstly you basically just admitted you love me and two, would I still be here after your Mum spoke to me if she was totally opposed to the idea of us." Alex turned her head away and sank to the floor leaning against a boulder.

"Maybe she knew what I'd do, maybe she'll punish us in the future."

Steph turned to leave but Alex caught hold of her hand, eyes locked passing silent messages.

"I will wait. You can talk to me, about anything. You know where to find me." Steph left, a sad look on her face unseen by Alex.

The next morning Steph found a note next to her bed. "Steph, I need to see you. Meet me in the pavilion at breakfast time. A."

Steph dressed in her orange camp T-shirt for the first time, it looked good on her. She always carried her dagger on her, strapped to her shin but she left her sword and shield in the cabin as she had ancient Greek first thing.

She was one of the first down at breakfast, she wished for cheerio's and milk and they sprang into existence, she burned some cheerio's as an offering to Athena and Aphrodite, which she seemed to do a lot. Her Mum/Dad person, thanks to who she had come into existence a freak, and Aphrodite, the mother of the girl she loved and the goddess who she had to appease on the love front.

It was not until everyone was at breakfast and Steph had finished that Alex showed up. Steph walked to the back to meet her. They stood facing each other for about ten seconds. Just as Steph was about to speak Alex stepped up to her, bodies a hairs breadth away. By now a few people where looking around in curiosity, none of the children of Aphrodite seemed to have noticed anything.

Alex pressed her lips to Steph's. The world melted around them, shivers coursed one after the other through Steph's body as she opened her mouth. The warmth of Alex's breath hit the back of her throat as Alex's tongue came pushing into her mouth, exploring, interlocking with her own. Steph gently wrapped her arms around Alex's neck as the other girl held her lower back, the back of her head. They pulled each other closer, they couldn't get close enough. Gentle, moist lips massaged each others, fingers wound through Steph's hair.

Alex pulled back for breath as Steph continues kissing around her mouth, down to her neck where she softly licked at the same time as kissing. Alex's head rested on Steph's as she said. "I love you, oh, I love you so much. I'm sorry…" Steph knew what Alex wanted to say but couldn't find the words for. She lifted her head to face Alex, foreheads pressed tightly together, noses squashed, eyes mere centimetres apart glaring intently into each other.

"There's nothing to be sorry for, my love. Nothing darling. I love you."

Alex began kissing Steph's neck, hands running up and down her body, sending shocks where ever she touched. Steph's hands wrapped around Alex's waist as she repeated her declaration of love. Alex turned her head back up and began kissing Steph's mouth again, hands on Steph's shoulders. Steph could barely breathe, her heart beat so erratic she should have been dead. They both giggled through their kisses.

A hand sharply tapped Alex on the back; she turned arms still around Steph. It was Andy.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Andy exclaimed.

"Kissing my girlfriend." Alex replied simply like nothing out of the ordinary had happened and smiling at Steph.

"You are bringing shame on Aphrodite." Andy hissed, clearly flustered.

"Where's your girlfriend then? Oh, I forgot, you haven't had one." Alex replied, her voice as sweet as honey.

"Yes I have." Andy countered, offended.

"One night stands don't count. Love is about commitment, sticking it out no matter what, what's inside not out. Love is fearless. So come and lecture me when you truly understand what love is."

"You will regret that." Andy said whilst drawing his sword. Steph grabbed her dagger and pointed it at his throat. "And I think you'll regret that. Don't ever attack someone who's defenceless. Don't tough her again. I've warned you." Steph turned to leave when a searing pain stabbed her shoulder. Steph turned to see the cut Andy had given her.

"DON'T BACKSTAB PUNK!" Bellowed a gruff voice belonging to a muscly biker who Steph had never seen before. The guy snapped Andy's sword in half and threw him against the wall where he fell, unconscious, to the ground. The guy winked at Steph and Alex and vanished.

"My Mum's boyfriend." Alex explained in the silence. As she turned to kiss Steph the whole room erupted in applause, loud cheers and whistling. Steph leant forward and gave Alex a long, fierce, passionate kiss, dropping her dagger to the floor.

"I guess you changed your mind then?" Steph commented at the morning break whilst walking round the lake.

"Very publically. I hope you don't mind." Alex replied. Alex had her arm draped over Steph's shoulder, which had been healed with ambrosia; her left hand was holding Steph's left.

"If I'd known what you were planning I think I would have minded but as it was such a pleasant surprise I kinda forgot to mind. Besides it gets over the problem of coming out." Alex made a vague sound of agreement. "What made you change your mind?" Steph asked drawing Alex to a halt. They stood facing each other, arms around each other, as Alex considered the question.

"I guess, mostly it's what you said about Mom not blasting us to smithereens. Otherwise I would have gone on believing that us being an item was wrong, even though I was pretty sure I knew how I felt."

"Well then, thank you Alex's Mom Aphrodite." Steph looked skyward as she said this. Alex laughed and hugged Steph tight.


End file.
